Gated retainer

ABSTRACT

A quick acting gated retainer for wire, cable, or other elongated material requiring a permanent or temporary mount. The device features one or a pair of spring biased gates on one or both sides rotating and concurrently translating inwardly, during both the insertion and removal process of cable from the guide cavity formed to hold the inserted cable. This provides a clear line for both insertion and removal of cable or similar elongated objects from the guide cavity and prevention of damage to the inserted object from the gates which will naturally retract from contact with the inserted wire since the gates translate as well as rotate in their engagement. The nylon structure with the internal reinforcing guarantees a long lasting, rigid device that will not damage wires, cables or ropes held within the guide cavity.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed device relates to retainers. More particularly thisinvention relates to the field of retainers constructed to be used in avariety of applications, primarily holding an accumulation of wires,cables within a confined cavity, either permanently or temporarily,during formation of a wiring harness. The device can also be used fortemporary or permanent mounting of wires, hoses, cables, or otherelongated devices in need of a formed path or paths for mounting.

A wide variety of quick acting retainers are used on boats to hold ropesand cables in place. Many styles of retainers have been used in theelectronics field to hold the wiring in place, the most common recentinnovation being the plastic Zip-ties. Other styles of common wireretainers hold the spark plug wires in place in the automobile engine.Still other retainers are used for holding wires in place temporarilyduring the manufacturing processes in fabricating wiring harnesses forautomobiles, appliances and aircraft. A requirement of many of theseretainers is that they not only are quick acting for the insertionprocess but that they are equally quick acting for the removal process.Further, as such wires generally carry electrical current, it is highlydesirable to prevent stress or damage to the wires themselves or theformed wiring harness while concurrently retaining the wire clusterwithin a cavity for subsequent wrapping with some form of permanentretainer forming the finished wire harness.

The disclosed invention herein provides a unique device where the wireor group of wires, a cable or a rope or group of ropes, may be insertedinto a guide cavity by pressing through spring loaded single or doublegates. Removal is accomplished using a reverse motion, and because ofthe movement of the components restraining the wires in the cavity,damage to the formed harness is prevented during insertion into, andremoval from, the cavity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure describes a new and unique wire quick action gatedretainer for holding a plurality of electrical or cables during theassembly process of manufacturing wire cable harnesses. It can also beused to hold cables or ropes for inside the cavities of the componentsfor temporary mounting. In the harness industry, it is common practicein the fabrication of a wire harness, to mount a plurality of wireholding components on a panel board along the intended route of theharness. The wires are then placed in the holders as they are runindividually between their desired termination points. After completionof the process of forming the proper length and different leadsextending from the formed wiring harness, cable ties, shrink wrap, orsimilar means to retain the formed wire harness in their bundledconfiguration are used. Such wiring harnesses are frequently used incars and trucks, as well as in electronic components and other devicesin need of elongated wiring harnesses to electrically communicatebetween electrical components.

Commercially available wire retainers which function to form the wiresinto a circular grouping typically include a base adapted for secureattachment to the panel board by means of screws or the like, a pair ofarms pivotally mounted on the base, and a length of elastomeric materialspanning the free ends of the arms and cooperating therewith to form thewires into a generally circular grouping. The weakest component of theseretainers is the elastomeric material which can inadvertently becomedamaged through contact with a sharp object or it loses its resiliencywith repeated use, thus requiring replacement.

A common problem of currently commercially available devices is that theelastomeric material cannot be readily replaced causing the entireharness to be scrapped or in need of repair. More specifically, thematerial is either inaccessible for removal or it is formed into a loopand held by a part of the base thus requiring the time consuming step ofremoval of the base from the panel board before the looped material canbe removed and replaced. It is often easier to replace the entire devicethan try to replace the elastomeric material.

In other types of wire retainers, the ends of the elastomeric materialare pinned or riveted to the base with the pin or rivet head disposedvery close to the base thus making the replacement of the materialdifficult. A further disadvantage of such structures is that the ends ofthe material are at least partially exposed thereby making themsusceptible to accidental separation from their anchoring means.

Other types of wire retainers have a unitary molded arm-base. A problemwith such a molded structure is that if the resilient spring arms aremolded thin enough to permit low force insertion of a wire, they haveinsufficient strength to overcome the resiliency of the elastomericmaterial which has a propensity to eject the wire inserted out betweenthe spring arms.

These types of devices are commonly used in the automotive, applianceand aircraft industry to construct wire harnesses, but through theresearch and development of this new and unique device, it has becomeevident that this invention has a multitude of other applications anduses which are provided through the provision of an innovative gateoperation. One and probably the most obvious application of thedisclosed gated retainer is in the boating and recreational vehicleindustry. Other areas of application will be in the constructionindustry by retaining extension cords and ropes, and in the toy and gameindustry where this device offers a safe insertion and removal of anobject.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,300 of Jack E. Caveney describes a holder forforming a plurality of strands of wire into a bundle for assembling acable harness. The holder includes a frame having relatively movablearms of which the ends are in spaced relationship. An elastic band isfastened on the frame to yieldably hold the ends spaced and provide acradle for the wires. With these styles of retainers the elastic bandsrequire periodic replacement and the device does not function adequatelyfor any other purposes.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,863 of Milton Dorsey teaches of a cable binderhaving an elongated, flexible band formed with a plurality of aperturesarranged in a row along the longitudinal axis of the band. A rigidcoupling means is adapted to be insertably disposed through selectedones of the apertures to retain the band about a single cable or a cablebundle. Other selected apertures may be employed to secure the bandedcable or bundle to supporting structure. This invention describes aflexible band that wraps around a banded cable or bundle similar to theZip-ties used for the same purposes.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,906 of Peter M. Wells discloses a cable tieincluding a flat ratchet toothed strap and a hollow frame having pawlsto engage the ratchet teeth of the strap. The pawls extend from oppositewalls of the frame at the entrance thereto and converge in the directionof the outlet. The pawls terminate short of the outlet of the frame infree end surfaces which are generally flat and which are back tapered.The ratchet teeth on the strap are also back tapered and are bordered byflanges. This device is typical to the Zip-ties but shows in oneembodiment a hole for receiving a fastener for securing to a wall or thelike but would not have the capability of being used for themanufacturing of wire cable harnesses where the harnesses require quickand easy insertion and removal.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,618 of Jerome T. Schuplin additionally describes abundling tie for use in looping about a plurality or bundle of elements,such as wires, tubes or cables, and to be drawn taunt about the bundlefor mounting of the elements in bundle form on a support, such as forinstance on a circuit board or harness board assembly, and comprising abuckle head having an aperture therethrough and a separate insert pawlmounted in the aperture of the head in generally floatable condition,adapted for locking coaction with a strap portion that is disposed inlooped condition and passes into said aperture in the head. Such anarrangement not only facilitates the insertion of the strap into theaperture in the head but also ensures that the locking co-action betweenthe pawl and the strap is such that pull out of the strap from the headis prevented. This device is another invention similar to the Zip-tieand does not have the capabilities of being used in the manufacturingprocesses of wire cable harnesses.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,277 of John J. Bulanda tells of an apparatus forforming a plurality of elongate objects such as wires into a bundle ofcircular cross section. The apparatus comprises a base to be affixed toa mount such as a panel board and a frame for mounting on the base. Theframe comprises a pair of arms extending upwardly from adjacent the basewith each arm terminating in an end portion. The end portions aremovable relative to one another between a retaining position, whereinthe spacing between the end portions is less than the diameter of one ofthe objects and a release position wherein the spacing is at least asgreat as the object diameter. In their release portion the end portionsdefine an object-receiving opening. The arms are biased toward theirretaining position. The apparatus further comprises a length ofelastomeric material removably carried by the frame and free of thebase. The length includes a portion bridging the arms adjacent the freeends. This portion cooperates with the end portions to hold the bundletherebetween. The frame and the base comprise attachment means forreleasably mounting the frame on the base and operable to remove theframe therefrom whereby upon damage to the length of elastomericmaterial, it can be removed from the base without removal of the basefrom the support.

Although this apparatus has been designed to hold wire cable harnesses,it uses the perishable elastomeric method of producing the biasingtension for holding the wire cable harness and this device has no otherforeseeable uses other than those specified.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,627 of John W. Tarbox describes a means and methodthat is provided for conveniently breaking out wires from a wire bundlein a wiring harness during the fabrication or layout stage, there beinga wrapper having two parallel rows of holes punched therein and aspecially designed comb having teeth with detent ends which are insertedthrough the first row of holes in the wrapper. The wire bundle is thenpassed alongside these teeth with the desired strands being broken outbetween the teeth, and subsequent to the breakout process the wrapper isfolded over the wire bundle and the second row of holes engaged securelyover the detent ends of the comb teeth. This device has been designedfor a specific purpose and would not be usable in the manufacturingprocess of wire harnesses.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,688 of Kenkichi Itoh discloses a cable clamp with abase having a fixing portion on the lower surface, a flat clampmockingly connected to the base, and a means for locking a distal end ofthe flat clamp to the base engageably or disengageably. The cable clampretains electric wires between the base and the flat clamp. The lockingmember comprises a plate-shaped protrusion provided on the flat clamp orthe base and a retaining protrusion formed with the outer surfacethereof. A resilient retaining member is protrudingly provided on theflat clamp opposite the plate-shaped protrusion or the base and has ahole for engaging with the retaining protrusion. An engaging member isprotrudingly provided on the same surface with the resilient retainingmember in parallel and engaging with an inner surface of the plateshaped protrusion. Further, a notched portion formed with a distal endof the resilient retaining member faces the engaging member. Therefore,the cable clamp can easily carry out unlocking without any unlock leversand offers not only a simple but also a secure locking mechanism. Thisdevice often used in the automotive industry will not work effectivelyas a quick acting retainer to be used in manufacturing wiring harnessesdue to the fact that the hinge mechanism is not adaptable to prolongedusage and the device is somewhat limited to other applications where itmay be used.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,842 of Steve Brooks tells of a spark plug wireharness which includes a plurality of brackets having base portionswhich are secured to the valve cover of conventional internal combustionengines utilizing existing bolts and which have longitudinally andvertically aligned openings through which the spark plug wires areretained to thereby both space the wires from the engine and each otherand to organize and align the wires between the distributor and thespark plugs. In some embodiments the brackets include adjustablesections. This device has been designed specifically to hold a sparkplug wiring harness in a fixed location and would not be adaptable tothe manufacturing processes of assembling wiring harnesses.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,048 of James Russell Cude a wire retainer for use inan air conditioning outdoor cabinet which houses a fan and a spine finheat exchanger coil includes an extension portion, a base portion and aclip portion. The extension portion of the wire retainer is anchor-likeand includes fluke-like members that, when inserted into and throughspine fin material, lodge securely therein. The base portion of theretainer abuts the spine fin of the heat exchanger coil and positionsthe clip portion as such that wires or a wire bundle running interior ofthe coil can be guided and secured appropriately so as not to be cut bythe fan or buffeted and broken by the relatively high velocity, highvolume stream of air that is drawn by the fan through the interior ofthe air conditioning cabinet and the heat exchanger coil housed therein.This is another limit usage device that would not adaptable to be usedin the manufacturing of wiring harnesses.

Thus there is a continuing need for improved devices to retain wire,cable or rope during formation of wiring harnesses or to provide a pathfor mounting. Such a device should have quick acting gates for easyinsertion or removal with an extremely wide range of applications. Sucha device should provide such quick action gates which allow for easyinsertion and removal of wires and cable from the formed cavity and alsoprevent damage to the wiring harness or wires from abrasion by the gateswith the wires or harness in the cavity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of this invention consists of a quick actinggated retainer that is usable in a wide variety of applications withwire, cable, rope, hose, or other elongated material needing a formedpath for assembly or permanent or temporary mounting. This preferredembodiment of the disclosed device incorporates two support members withopposing quick acting gate units on the preferred embodiment and analternate embodiment with a single support member with a quick actinggate unit abutting a support rod. The two support member arm units jointogether at the base forming the radial guide cavity between the supportmember arm units and the quick acting gate or gates. While the depictedbase has only a single threaded attachment means for mounting to asurface, other conventional attachment means would easily beincorporated on this device and those also must be included within thescope of this patent. Each distal end of the support members incorporatea yoke retaining a quick acting gate unit. The quick acting gate unitoperates on a floating axis or coaxial system where it rotates in anddownwardly on a primary axis pin while the secondary axis pin translateswithin primary axis slot. The spring biasing means then pivots on a biasspring pivot pin. When the quick acting gate rotates in and upwardly ona secondary axis pin, the primary axis pin translates within thesecondary axis slot with a spring biasing means pivoting on a biasspring pivot pin. When used to assemble wire, the embodiment of thegated retainer with double gates may have gate member tip ends which maybe in direct contact. However, in some cases it may be desirable to havethe tips overlapping to aide in restraining wires. The meeting oroverlapping of the gate member tip ends or the meeting of a single quickacting gate member where the gate member tip end abuts a support rod,perform a similar restraining task as the double gated device with thesame mechanisms and must be considered within the scope of this patent.

Consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that theconception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilizedas a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems forcarrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It isimportant, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including suchequivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spiritand scope of the present invention.

An object of this quick acting gated retainer is to create a means tohold wires in place during the fabrication process of making wiringharnesses.

Another object of this invention is to create a means to operate aretainer for holding wiring harnesses during the fabrication processwithout using an elastomeric retaining system.

An additional object of this invention is to create a nylon wire, cableor rope quick acting gated retainer that will not damage the material orthe wires being retained, but will be strong enough to support a largeload without breaking.

Yet another object of this invention is to create a long lasting wire,cable or rope quick acting gated retainer that will function in severeenvironments over a long period of time.

A further object of this invention is to create a device whereby thegates translate and rotate inwardly, out of the way during insertion orremoval processes.

Still another object of this device is to create a wire, cable or ropequick acting gated retainer that will not damage the article held.

A final object of this invention is to create an improved wire, cable orrope quick acting gated retainer that is usable in a much wider varietyof applications than the present prior art.

These together with other objects and advantages which becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of the construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthis specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and togetherwith the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention.

FIG. 1 depicts a the quick acting gated retainer with two opposing gatemechanisms.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the quick acting gated retainer with twogate mechanisms.

FIG. 3 depicts a side view of the alternate embodiment of the quickacting gated retainer with a single gate mechanism.

FIG. 4 depicts a front view of the alternate embodiment of the quickacting gated retainer with a single gate mechanism.

FIG. 5 depicts a section through one side of the quick acting gatedretainer depicting in detail the spring mechanism of the gate portionand the location and attachment means of the reinforcing member.

FIG. 6 depicts the geometry of the retracting action of the quick actinggate mechanism in the insertion position.

FIG. 7 depicts the geometry of the retracting action of the quick actinggate mechanism in the removal position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the inventionare identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1 thequick acting gated retainer for wire, rope, cable, or other elongatedmaterial, with double gates 10A having two support members, a leftsupport member 12A and a right support member 12B. Each of the supportmembers 12A and 12B consist of a support member arm unit 14 that joinstogether at the base 20 forming the radial guide cavity 18. The base 20is shown with, but not limited to a single threaded means of attachment22 however those skilled in the art will realized that other means ofattachment can be easily be incorporated on this device and must beincluded within the scope of this patent. However the current preferredmode of the device a threaded means of attachment 22 is used.

Each distal end 24 of the support members 12A and 12B incorporates ayoke 26 retaining a quick acting gate unit 28. In the current best modeof the disclosed device, the gate unit 28 is generally triangular inshape. The quick acting gate unit 28 operates on a floating axis orcoaxial system where it rotates downwardly and translates toward thepivot pin 36 on a primary axis pin 30 during insertion of wires into theguide cavity 18 while concurrently the secondary axis pin 32 translateswithin primary axis slot 34. A biasing means, which in this case is aspring 54 biases the gate 28 away from the pivot pin 36 during suchrotation causing the axis pin 30 to remain at a first end of thesecondary axis slot 38 during this rotation. This biasing means alsoprovides a means for lateral translation of the gate member tip ends 40toward the pivot pin 36 concurrently with the rotation of the quickacting gate 28 in either the upward or downward direction.

When the quick acting gate 28 rotates in and upwardly toward theretraction position, the secondary axis pin 32 is engaged at a first endof the primary axis slot 34 and concurrently the primary axis pin 30translates within the secondary axis slot 38 with the spring biasingmeans pivoting on a bias spring pivot pin 36 holding the secondary axispin 32 in position. All of the quick acting gates 28 operate insubstantially the same fashion be it on embodiments with one or two ofthe quick acting gates 28 and all provide for both rotation and of thegates and concurrent lateral translation of the gate member tip ends 40toward and away from the pivot pin 36 during such rotation as can beseen in the FIGS. 5–7.

On the embodiment of the quick acting gated retainer with double gates10A, the gate member tip ends 40 are shown in direct contact, but insome cases it may be desirable to have the tips over lapping to aide inrestraining wires. The meeting or overlapping of the gate member tipends 40 or the meeting of a single quick acting gate member 28 where thegate member tip end 40 abuts a support rod 42 of the alternateembodiment depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, perform the same restraining taskand must be considered within the scope of this patent. The embodimentwith two quick acting gates 28 provides for a larger guide cavity 18.

FIG. 3 depicts a side view of the alternate embodiment of the wire,cable or rope quick acting gated retainer with a single gate mechanism10B indicating the position of the yoke 26 retaining the quick actinggate unit 28 and the biasing spring pivot member 44 on the distal end 24of the single support member arm unit 46. FIG. 4 depicts a front view ofthe alternate embodiment of the wire, cable or rope quick acting gatedretainer 10B with a single quick acting gate unit 28 on the distal end24 of the single support member 46 and the opposing support bar 42. Thesupport member arm unit 14 and the support rod 42 join at the base 20 toform the radial guide cavity 18. The base 20 is shown with, but notlimited to, a threaded attachment means 22.

FIG. 5 depicts a section through one side of the preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed quick acting gated retainer with double gates 10Aclarifying the biasing spring mechanism 48 of the quick acting gate unit28 and the reinforcing member 50 attached to the head end 52 of thethreaded attachment means 22. The biasing spring mechanism 48 operatesby having the biasing spring 54 captive between the spring cavity 56within the quick acting gate unit 28 and the spring nib 58 on thebiasing spring pivot member 44 that pivots on the spring pivot pin 36.This biasing spring mechanism 48 also allows for a slight lateraltranslation of the gate unit 28 and toward the pivot member 44 thusallowing the gate member tip end 40 to translate toward the pivot member44 during rotation of the gate unit 28 to the insertion position shownin FIG. 6 or the retraction position shown in FIG. 7. This slightlateral translation can occur concurrently during rotation of the gateunit 28 in either direction and is especially important in preventingdamage to a cables which are being held in the guide cavity 18 duringassembly of a wire harness since the gate unit 28 will translate awayform the wires forming the harness instead of damaging them.

FIG. 6 depicts the geometry of the retracting action of the quick actinggate unit 28 in the insertion position where the quick acting gate unit28 operates on a floating axis or coaxial system where it rotatesdownwardly on a primary axis pin 30 while the secondary axis pin 32translates within primary axis slot 34 along the radius R1 with a springbiasing means pivoting on a bias spring pivot pin 36.

FIG. 7 depicts the geometry of the retracting action of the quick actinggate unit 28 in the retraction position where the quick acting gate unit28 operates on a floating axis or coaxial system where it rotatesupwardly on a secondary axis pin 32 while the primary axis pin 30translates within secondary axis slot 38 along the radius R2 with aspring biasing means pivoting on a bias spring pivot pin 36.

The quick acting gated retainers herein shown in the drawings anddescribed in detail herein disclose arrangements of elements ofparticular construction and configuration for illustrating preferredembodiments of structure and method of operation and manufacture of thepresent invention. It is to be understood, however, that elements ofdifferent construction and configuration and other arrangements thereof,other than those illustrated and described, may be employed forproviding quick acting gated retainers in accordance with the spirit ofthis invention, and such changes, alternations and modifications aswould occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within thescope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims. Assuch, while the present invention has been described herein withreference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude ofmodifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in theforegoing disclosure, without departing from the scope of the inventionas set forth in the following claims.

1. A gated retainer comprising: a first support member extending to adistal end from a base; a second support member extending to a distalend from said base; means of attachment of said base to a surface; afirst gate, said first gate having a first end and an tip end oppositesaid first end; a guide cavity defined by the area between said firstsupport member, said second support member, said base, and said firstgate; a first means for rotation of said first gate on said distal endof said first support member, said first means for rotation of saidfirst gate providing concurrent rotation of said tip to toward saidguide cavity and lateral translation of said tip end toward said distalend of said first support member, to an insertion position; a secondmeans for rotation of said first gate on said distal end of said firstsupport member, said second means for rotation of said first gateproviding concurrent rotation of said tip away from said guide cavityand lateral translation of said tip end toward said distal end of saidfirst support member to a retraction position; means to bias said firstgate away from said distal end of said first member to a defaultposition placing said tip immediately adjacent to said distal end ofsaid second member; and whereby said first gate, when in said defaultposition, will rotate on said first means for rotation toward said guidecavity and concurrently translate toward said first member when force isexerted on a top side edge of said first gate and said first gate willrotate on said second means for rotation away from said guide cavity andconcurrently translate toward said first member when force is exerted ona bottom side edge of said first gate, and said first gate will returnto said default position when force on either of said side edges ceases.2. The gated retainer of claim 1 additionally comprising: a second gate,said second gate having a first end and an tip end opposite said firstend, said tip end of said first gate positioned adjacent to said tip endof said first gate when said first gate is in said default position;said guide cavity defined by the area between said first support member,said second support member, said base, said first gate and said secondgate when said first gate is in said default position; a third means forrotation of said second gate on said distal end of said second supportmember, said third means for rotation of said second gate, providingconcurrent rotation of said tip of said second gate toward said guidecavity and lateral translation of said tip end of said second gatetoward said distal end of said second support member, toward saidinsertion position; a fourth means for rotation of said second gate onsaid distal end of said second support member, said fourth means forrotation of said second gate providing concurrent rotation of said tipof said second gate, away from said guide cavity and lateral translationof said tip end of said second gate toward said distal end of saidsecond support member; means to bias said second gate away from saiddistal end of said second member to a default position placing said tipimmediately adjacent to said tip end of said first gate; and wherebysaid first gate and said second gate, when in their respective defaultpositions, will rotate on said respective first means for rotation andthird means for rotation, toward said guide cavity and concurrentlytranslate toward said first member and said second member when force isexerted on a top side edge of said first gate and a top side edge ofsaid second gate and said first gate and said second gate willrespectively rotate on said second means for rotation and said fourthmeans for rotation, away from said guide cavity, and both concurrentlytranslate receptively toward said first member and said second member,when force is exerted on a bottom side edge of said first gate and saidsecond gate, and both said first gate and said second gate will returnto their respective default positions when force on either of theirrespective side edges ceases.
 3. The gated retainer of claim 2 furthercomprising: said second means of rotation of said first gate to saidretraction position comprises: a primary axis pin attached to saiddistal end of said first support, said primary axis pin engaged in afirst slot in said first gate; a secondary axis pin attached to saiddistal end of said first support, said secondary axis pin engaged in asecond slot in said first gate; and said secondary axis pin biased toone end of said second slot while said first axis pin laterallytranslates in said first slot when force is applied to said bottom sideof said first gate; said fourth means of rotation of said second gatetoward said retraction position comprises: a first axis pin attached tosaid distal end of said second support, said first axis pin engaged in afirst slot in said second gate; a second axis pin attached to saiddistal end of said second support, said second axis pin engaged in asecond slot in said second gate; said second axis pin biased to a firstend of said second slot in said second gate while said first axis pinlaterally translates in said first slot in said second support whenforce is applied to said bottom side of said second gate, and wherebyone or both of said first gate and said second gate will rotate towardsaid retraction position when force is allied to there respective bottomsides.
 4. A gated retainer of claim 2 wherein said guide cavity is sizedto accommodate a plurality of wires inserted therein; and a plurality ofsaid gated retainers used as a kit and are attached to said surface in apattern to form a wire harness from said wires inserted into said guidecavity of each of said plurality of said gated retainers.
 5. The gatedretainer of claim 2 further comprising: said first means of rotation ofsaid first gate to said insertion position comprises: a primary axis pinattached to said distal end of said first support, said primary axis pinengaged in a first slot in said first gate; a secondary axis pinattached to said distal end of said first support, said secondary axispin engaged in a second slot in said first gate; said primary axis pinbiased to one end of said first slot while said secondary axis pinlaterally translates in said second slot when force is applied to saidtop side of said first gate; said third means of rotation of said secondgate toward said insertion position comprises: a first axis pin attachedto said distal end of said second support, said first axis pin engagedin a first slot in said second gate; a second axis pin attached to saiddistal end of said second support, said second axis pin engaged in asecond slot in said second gate; said first axis pin biased to a firstend of said first slot in said second gate while said second axis pinlaterally translates in said second slot in said second support whenforce is applied to said top side of said second gate, and whereby oneor both of said first gate and said second gate will rotate toward saidinsertion position when force is allied to there respective top sides.6. The gated retainer of claim 5 further comprising: said second meansof rotation of said first gate to said retraction position comprises: aprimary axis pin attached to said distal end of said first support, saidprimary axis pin engaged in a first slot in said first gate; a secondaryaxis pin attached to said distal end of said first support, saidsecondary axis pin engaged in a second slot in said first gate; and saidsecondary axis pin biased to one end of said second slot while saidfirst axis pin laterally translates in said first slot when force isapplied to said bottom side of said first gate; said fourth means ofrotation of said second gate toward said retraction position comprises:a first axis pin attached to said distal end of said second support,said first axis pin engaged in a first slot in said second gate; asecond axis pin attached to said distal end of said second support, saidsecond axis pin engaged in a second slot in said second gate; saidsecond axis pin biased to a first end of said second slot in said secondgate while said first axis pin laterally translates in said first slotin said second support when force is applied to said bottom side of saidsecond gate, and whereby one or both of said first gate and said secondgate will rotate toward said retraction position when force is allied tothere respective bottom sides.
 7. The gated retainer of claim 5 furthercomprising said first gate being generally triangular in shape; and saidfirst and second slots being generally arched in shape and extendingadjacent to said top and bottom sides respectively from said first endto said tip; said second gate being generally triangular in shape; andsaid first and second slots of said second gate being generally archedin shape and extending adjacent to said top and bottom sides of saidsecond gate from said first end of said second gate to said tip of saidsecond gate.
 8. The gated retainer of claim 1 further comprising: saidfirst means of rotation of said first gate to said insertion positioncomprises: a primary axis pin attached to said distal end of said firstsupport, said primary axis pin engaged in a first slot in said firstgate; a secondary axis pin attached to said distal end of said firstsupport, said secondary axis pin engaged in a second slot in said firstgate; and said primary axis pin biased to one end of said first slotwhile said secondary axis pin laterally translates in said second slotwhen force is applied to said top side of said first gate.
 9. The gatedretainer of claim 8 further comprising: said second means of rotation ofsaid first gate to said retraction position comprises: a primary axispin attached to said distal end of said first support, said primary axispin engaged in a first slot in said first gate; a secondary axis pinattached to said distal end of said first support, said secondary axispin engaged in a second slot in said first gate; and said secondary axispin biased to one end of said second slot while said first axis pinlaterally translates in said first slot when force is applied to saidbottom side of said first gate.
 10. The gated retainer of claim 8further comprising: said first gate being generally triangular in shape;and said first and second slots being generally arched in shape andextending adjacent to said top and bottom sides respectively from saidfirst end to said tip.
 11. The gated retainer of claim 1 furthercomprising: said second means of rotation of said first gate to saidretraction position comprises: a primary axis pin attached to saiddistal end of said first support, said primary axis pin engaged in afirst slot in said first gate; a secondary axis pin attached to saiddistal end of said first support, said secondary axis pin engaged in asecond slot in said first gate; and said secondary axis pin biased toone end of said second slot while said first axis pin laterallytranslates in said first slot when force is applied to said bottom sideof said first gate.
 12. A gated retainer of claim 1 wherein said guidecavity is sized to accommodate a plurality of wires inserted therein;and a plurality of said gated retainers are used as a kit and attachedto said surface in a pattern to form a wire harness from said wiresinserted into said guide cavity of each of said plurality of said gatedretainers.
 13. A gated retainer comprising: a first support memberextending to a distal end from a base; a second support member extendingto a distal end from said base; means of attachment of said base to asurface; a gate, said gate having a first end and an tip end oppositesaid first end; a primary axis pin attached to said distal end of saidfirst support member and engaged in a first axis slot of a said gate; asecondary axis pin attached to said distal end of said first supportmember and engaged in a second axis slot in said gate; a pivot pointlocated on said distal end of said first support member in-between saidprimary axis pin and said secondary axis pin; said gate having aninsertion position, and a retraction position opposite said insertionposition and having a closed position in-between said insertion positionand said retraction position; means to bias said gate away from saidpivot point and maintain said primary axis at a first end of said firstaxis slot and said secondary axis pin at a first end of said second axisslot thereby maintaining said gate in said closed position with said tipend adjacent to said distal end of said second support member; said gaterotatable to said insertion position wherein said primary axis isengaged at said first end of said first axis slot and said secondaryaxis pin is laterally translated away from said first end of said secondaxis slot and said tip end is translated toward said axis point; saidgate rotatable to said retraction position wherein said secondary axisis engaged at said first end of said second axis slot and said primaryaxis pin is laterally translated away from said first end of saidprimary axis slot and said tip end is translated toward said axis point;and whereby said gate defaults to said closed position and is rotatableto said insertion position and said retraction position by pressureapplied on opposing side edges of said gate.